


Second Chances Can Happen

by fluffylittlepanda



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-08 09:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11078337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffylittlepanda/pseuds/fluffylittlepanda
Summary: This story begins where Season Three ended.  And, the Anna and Edmund romance is not exactly over.





	1. What a Dream!

Anna was currently a guest of Ben and his new wife, Elizabeth, who were now living in New York City, and this evening she was to attend a ball being hosted by Ben and his wife. The War was over and Ben was enjoying a successful career in New York. Meanwhile, Anna was working at a local tavern. As Anna sat in her bedroom she could hear the guests beginning to arrive at this extravagant affair, but she was so hesitant to go downstairs to attend. Ben was hosting the party for former officers of the Revolution, local politicians and merchants, and even a British trade delegation which was hoping to restore its profitable trade with the former colonies, especially with New York merchants. 

Anna was just about dressed and was fixing her hair. One of Ben’s servants came in to help her finish dressing and to help her with her hair. As the servant was fixing Anna’s hair, Anna just stared into the mirror looking at how she had aged since the War. It had taken so much out of her as well as away from her. She lost her tavern in Setauket and her husband to disease. She was a widow now and free to marry. Yet, as well as feeling so much older, she also felt that she had become so tired looking and plain. She even voiced this out loud to the servant, but the servant rebutted her respectfully by continuing to tell her how beautiful she looked. Yet, Anna was not too convinced.

Anna finally made it downstairs, and sure enough she was joined by Abe and Mary who seemed to be as close as ever. The War actually brought them closer together. Ben, who still had his boyish looks and looked very handsome in his new expensive civilian clothing, eventually joined them along with another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Linwood. Mr. Linwood was a very successful City merchant and was excited to make new contacts at this party. After introductions, another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, joined this now growing group. Anna did not feel much like talking as she had nothing in common with the group, and she was still wondering why she was still at the party. There were so many distinguished looking women and gorgeous young women in attendance. Why was she still here?

Mr. Lewis was happy to see Mr. Linwood as he was hoping that Mr. Linwood could introduce him to some of the very influential people and merchants attending the affair. Mr. Lewis started the conversation by asking if the British trade delegation had made it to the party. Mr. Linwood responded and pointed out two gentlemen standing across the room. He referred to one as a Mr. George Harper and a Mr. Edmund Hewlett. With that Anna almost choked on her drink while Abe, Mary, and Ben looked over to her. They all recognized the name! 

Anna then looked across the room and sure enough she saw Edmund although he looked different. He was no longer wearing his powdered wig. His hair was a dark brown and tied back in the fashion of the day. He was wearing some very fine silk clothing that made him look very distinguished. He was laughing with the gentlemen and ladies that he was speaking to, and he seemed somewhat younger than she remembered. His eyes seemed soft and his face looked relaxed. Anna thought that he looked as handsome as ever although most women in the room would never think that.

Ben then asked, “Do you know if that is the same Major Edmund Hewlett who was assigned to Setauket during the War?” Mr. Linwood responded, “I believe so. I know that he was in the War and commanded a post in Long Island before returning to Scotland where he was able to rebuild his family's business. He has proven himself to be a very wealthy and successful businessman. My wife and I actually had the privilege of staying with Edmund Hewlett and his lovely wife and children for a week during our trip to London.” Anna now was ever more interested when Linwood mentioned that Edmund had a wife and children.

Linwood continued with his story. “Yes, my wife and I travelled to London to attend a trade conference. Merchants from all over England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and even Canada and the United States were in attendance. The Hewletts traveled from Scotland and rented a house while there. When our own living arrangements fell through, the Hewletts were kind enough to take us in for the remainder of our stay.” Anna then spoke up and asked about Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett while Ben, Abe, and Mary all turned to look at Anna with some concern. 

Mrs. Linwood then took over the conversation and responded. “The Hewletts are such a sweet couple. I really enjoyed my stay with them, and although we were only there a short time, I really felt that I got to know the Hewletts, especially Mrs. Hewlett. She is so friendly and charming. She would do anything for you. And, she is very cultured and intelligent. I was so impressed by her musical talents and knowledge of the classics. I myself like to read and play the piano, and Mrs. Hewlett was such a good companion. And, she seems to have Mr. Hewlett wrapped around her finger in such a good way. Unlike my husband, (Mrs. Linwood poked her husband in jest and he just rolled his eyes), Mr. Hewlett was so attentive to her and he would even light up when she walked into the room.” Upon hearing this, Anna remembered how Edmund was so dedicated and attentive to the woman that he loved. Only this was not her now!

Mrs. Linwood continued. “It was such an interesting story regarding how they met. Mrs. Hewlett told me the story one evening. She was married to a British officer who eventually was stationed in New York during the War. She was very young when she married and her brother, the same George Harper standing across the room with Mr. Hewlett, had warned her against the marriage. Mr. Harper was very concerned with her soon to be husband’s character and thought that she was acting too hasty. And, Mrs. Hewlett admitted that her brother was right. Shortly after their marriage, her husband began chasing other women even after she became pregnant with their child. Shortly after giving birth, her husband was killed in the War, and so she decided to return to England once her young daughter was old enough to travel across the ocean. She met Edmund Hewlett on the ship returning to England. It seems that he had a heartbreaking experience in the colonies although Mrs. Hewlett did not provide any details on what could have happened." At this point, Anna looked down to the floor and took a deep breath. Mrs. Linwood continued. "Mr. Hewlett began courting Mrs. Hewlett almost right away. They discovered that they lived fairly close to each other in Scotland, and in fact, Mr. Hewlett escorted Mrs. Hewlett to Scotland. They were married within the year. Edmund Hewlett adopted Mrs. Hewlett’s young daughter and they just recently had a boy of their own. Now, let me see if Mrs. Hewlett is in the room and I can point her out to you.” 

Anna looked over and sure enough two women walked in and went over to Hewlett and Harper respectively. Edmund gave one of the women a very affectionate kiss which brought a big smile to her face. That was Mrs. Hewlett! Mrs. Hewlett had dark hair and was rather slim. Although she was not a beauty, she was pretty, and she had a certain grace and elegance without looking haughty or arrogant. Anna did not want to admit that she was feeling very jealous, but she was, especially as Mrs. Hewlett seemed to resemble her a bit. And, Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett looked so happy together!

Mrs. Linwood further commented. “Yes, they seemed like a very happy couple. They would finish each other’s sentences and really enjoyed spending time with each other. They both played the piano together and enjoyed riding. I was even taken back one night when I saw them both outside looking through a telescope to study the heavens. They even invited us to join them, and of course, Mr. Linwood agreed. Imagine though a woman interested in such a pursuit!” This really hit Anna hard! She just wanted to run outside and get away from hearing how Edmund had found a life with another woman. Yes, she wanted him to find happiness, but she was having a hard time realizing that he was very happy and in love but not with her!

As Anna looked over again to the couple, she realized that she still had some unfinished business and that she needed some closure. She decided that she would try to find an opportunity to speak with him. She wanted him to know that she did love him and that she did not use him for her spying efforts. She remembered that night at the pub when Edmund had asked her whether she loved him. Now, she had the opportunity to explain to Edmund that she did love him but that she had to remain quiet in order to save his life. She could not lie to him but she could not say yes, and so she said nothing. For years, she never got to say a proper goodbye and maybe this was what she needed to do now. Maybe, she needed some closure about her feelings for him and to let him know that she was not a cold hearted woman who used him, but rather someone who really did love him. 

Sure enough, Edmund left his group to get some drinks in another room. Anna summoned her courage and left her group to speak to him. She was not sure what she was going to say but she knew that she had to do it. When she walked into the room, Edmund was at the drink table by himself and seemed to be in a very good mood. While Edmund was picking up two drinks, Anna walked up and said, “Welcome Edmund to the United States!” Then Anna felt very stupid thinking about what she had just said. All of a sudden, the smile from Edmund’s face was gone and he seemed very taken back. His jaw dropped, but then he regained his composure. He managed to say “Good evening Mrs. Strong.” His voice, however, was very formal and very distant.

Right away, Anna noticed the formality and the distant "Mrs. Strong" greeting. Trying to regain her composure, Anna then went on to say, “It is so good to see you. I hope that you are in good health and that you are enjoying your stay in New York.” Edmund only responded with “Thank you Mrs. Strong, but I need to get back to my party.” He went to take the drinks and leave when Anna said “Wait, Edmund. I was wondering, if you have a few minutes maybe we could talk in private?” Edmund quickly stopped her and said with a very agitated and commanding voice, “Mrs. Strong, anything that you have to say can be said here. As far as I am concerned, I do not believe that there is anything that I want to hear from you. I congratulate you that you played me for a fool and did it so well. You are so good at your craft and I congratulate you. I congratulate you on your effort in winning your freedom that you and your fellow countrymen so desired. I have moved on and have found the life that I was so looking for. Setauket and the War is nothing but a nightmare for me although I learned a few things about myself and about people. I just want to put it behind me and enjoy the new life that I have found.”

Anna was so taken back by this assertive speech and upset by the contempt that he now had for her. Surely, she overestimated that he might have some residual feelings for her. It appeared that he resented any feelings that he may have ever had for her and now he wanted nothing to do with her. And, she had to admit that she deserved this very cold and resentful shoulder. Anna did try again to appeal to their past and asked again for a few minutes to speak with him, but Edmund simply stated that he had to get back to his party and could not spare her another minute. He still pressed that he had no idea why she would even want to speak to him and he certainly did not want anything to do with her. He again emphasized that she was nothing but a bad memory!

Anna now was in tears as she watched him walk back to his party. She watched as his composure relaxed as he approached and kissed his wife. Anna wanted to leave the party but Ben coaxed Anna to stay a little longer. During the night, Anna eventually made her way out to the garden to get some fresh air. Sure enough the Hewletts were also getting some air in the garden and a little more. They were having a fairly passionate make-out session in a dark corner not realizing that someone had just walked out to the garden. They, however, were quickly interrupted by another couple walking into the garden also looking to get some fresh air. Anna could not take it anymore and left running upstairs to her room. 

 

 

 

All of the sudden, a gunshot was heard and some troops were outside laughing fairly loudly. Anna woke up and realized that she was having a bad dream, a dream about a ball where she met up with Edmund and his fictional wife. It was all a dream! She was sweating even though it was cold outside. As she sat up in her cot, she realized that it was just another day in the encampment. Then she started to feel guilty for dreaming about Edmund because she had just recently received notice that Selah was dead. Her husband was dead and yet she was dreaming about another man. 

Anna did not feel like getting out of her cot. Here she was dreaming about another man even though her husband had recently died. Also, she did not want to admit it, but she was further feeling frustrated because even though she only recently found out that Selah was dead, the notice listed his date of death as being before her attempt to marry Edmund! All that she could think of when she saw the date of death was that she was actually a widow on the day of her wedding with Edmund and that she never had to go through the whole fraudulent divorce story! Anna was not happy. She wanted to be the person that she was before the War began, but as her life was changing so much during the War, she was afraid that it would not be possible. And, she had come to know what love really was with a man who was on the other side of the conflict and was now probably on the other side of the ocean in Scotland.


	2. The Prisoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna is trying to recover from her dream as she continues to live in Washington's camp. Then an unexpected prisoner shows up.

Anna finally got out of her cot. She washed and dressed, preparing for another ordinary day in the encampment. Since returning with information regarding Benedict Arnold, she had no other missions or assignments with the spy ring. Anna was bored and wanted to do more for the cause. After all, staying busy and doing something of substance for the cause could be the perfect medicine to take her mind off of her own personal life. Anna felt as if she was seeing ghosts everywhere and she needed something to focus on to forget the past, at least for the time being.

Anna went to see Ben and found him in his tent. By now, some of the female camp followers were gossiping about their relationship. They had no idea of Anna’s role in the spy ring, and they started to believe that maybe she was Ben’s secret mistress. Some of the soldiers also started spreading the rumor as well.

After all, Anna did not have a husband in the army camp, and she was not part of that circle of camp followers who were washing clothes, cooking, and taking care of the troops, especially the units that their husbands belonged to. She also did not have children at the camp. Anna simply did not fit in with the women of the camp, and they let her know it at times. It was not to say that she did not have some female companionship as some of the women were very kind and even fun to be with. Yet, she was feeling very lonely, especially as Ben and Caleb were more immersed in the War and its operations. And, they had the comradeship of fellow officers.

When Anna entered Ben’s tent, Ben barely looked up to acknowledge her as he was reading some papers. Anna tried to look lively and energetic asking Ben, “What can I do this week? I am very ready and able to take on an assignment. I am over the death of Selah and I want to do something constructively.” Ben looked up and said, “I have nothing for you now. You did well bringing to us the information about Benedict Arnold. I actually have to leave soon to attend to something associated with that matter. So you will have to find something here to keep you busy. Maybe, you could help the women mend some of the uniforms.”

Anna replied, “Better yet, I could go with you. Where are you going and what are you going to do?” Ben’s face then frowned a bit and he said, “I do not need any help, and unfortunately, I cannot share with you what I am going to do.” With that, Anna erupted in total frustration. “Listen here Ben, I have sacrificed everything for the cause and you are treating me like some weak woman who cannot keep up with you. I have proven myself time and time again and you ignore me! I am about ready to smack you like I did when we were children and you were bothering the other kids with your whining. I can still do it!”

Ben was taken back. He knew that Anna had a fiery temper, and he always hated when he stirred it up. And, he was slightly concerned that Anna might in fact “slap him silly.” Fortunately for Ben, they were then interrupted by an officer who needed to speak with Ben right away. The officer quickly realized that he was walking in on something, a fight to be exact. Yet, Ben was happy to see the officer and told him to enter.

The officer at first was hesitant to speak as Anna was in the tent, but Ben told him to speak up. The officer then told Ben that they had captured a British patrol of about 20 men. The officer began explaining to Ben, “It was odd that there was no main force behind the patrol. The patrol seemed to be looking for something or someone, but we so far have not been able to find out what the patrol’s mission was. When we encountered the patrol, there was a small skirmish. One of their men was killed and two were wounded including their officer. The officer was only shot in the shoulder and so we were able to question him about the patrol’s presence. Yet, the major would not talk.” The officer then in a laugh, as he seemed so proud of himself, said, “We even decided to, how should I say, make his wound a little more painful to get the information, but in between his screams of pain, he would only say that he was Major Edmund Hewlett of His Majesty’s Army, and he demanded to be treated humanely.”

Upon hearing this, Anna right away ran over to the officer and asked him to repeat the name of the officer again. When the officer said, Major Edmund Hewlett, Anna went to throw a punch at the officer, but Ben caught her arm. The officer stepped back with a little fear on his face and then looked to Ben. Ben told Anna to calm down, and Anna did. Then Ben admonished the officer for mistreating the Major and said that the Major was under his protection. Ben ordered that there was to be no more torture or any mistreatment of any kind regarding the Major.

Anna then asked the officer where the Major was. Ben tried to interrupt but Anna grabbed the jacket lapel of the officer and demanded that he take her to the Major. The officer looked to Ben as Anna continued to pull on his jacket lapel demanding to be taken to the Major, and Ben nodded his head yes. Ben realized that he was not going to keep Anna from the Major.

Anna hurried the officer with her until they got to the medical tent. She ran in and saw Edmund laying on a cot. He looked terrible! He was sweating already with fever and was very pale. His clothing was dirty and his wig was missing.

There were two soldiers standing guard and were surprised by Anna. She, however, ignored them and shuffled past them. She knelt down next to Edmund, and said “Edmund, I am here. I am going to take care of you and make sure that nothing happens to you.” Edmund looked over with his eyes half open. He then said in a small whisper, “Is that you Anna?” She took his hand and said, “Yes, it is Anna and I am here for you.” He then smiled before whimpering in pain. 

Anna then turned to Ben who was standing nearby and yelled, “Get a surgeon, NOW!” Ben relayed the order to one of the soldiers standing guard to go for a surgeon. Ben then asked the officer who took Anna and Ben to see the Major why a surgeon had not already attended to the Major. Ben was feeling so conflicted right about now. He knew that the Major was the enemy and that he knew the identity of Culper. Yet, he was feeling very empathetic toward Anna’s feelings for Edmund. He started to think of Sarah and with those memories still so fresh in his mind, he became resolved to keep Edmund safe for Anna’s sake.

The soldiers in the tent, however, were perplexed by both Anna’s and Ben’s reactions. Finally the officer who had taken Ben and Anna to the tent summoned the courage to ask Ben why this woman was so concerned about the enemy. In fact, he showed real indignation for Anna “giving comfort to the enemy.” Ben told him to keep quiet. Ben then further explained that this Major was originally assigned to Anna’s hometown and actually kept the townspeople, including Anna, safe from war time excesses. He further explained that Anna feels a need to return the favor, and then told the officer to drop the subject.

Meanwhile, Anna was giving Edmund a drink of water and then asked Ben if he had anything stronger. Ben then told the other soldier to go to his tent as he had a bottle of whiskey in the tent. By that time, a surgeon and his orderly arrived on the scene.

The surgeon examined Edmund who was still drifting in and out of consciousness, and the surgeon stated that the bullet had to come out. The surgeon, however, stated that he thought that the bullet probably did not cause much lasting damage to the shoulder. Anna tried explaining this to Edmund but he was not very aware of what was happening. Ben then told Anna, “You should move away and let the surgeon do his work.” Anna replied, “I am staying right here and nothing in this world will move me.” Ben then just shrugged his shoulders as the surgeon began preparing for the surgery. The surgeon told his orderly and another soldier to hold Edmund down while he dug out the bullet. By that point, the soldier had returned with the whiskey and Anna asked for the bottle.

Before the surgeon began, Anna coaxed Edmund to drink some of the whiskey. “Edmund, you need to drink some of this whiskey. The surgeon is going to get that bullet out of your shoulder so that you can get better.” Edmund opened his eyes and whispered, “What is happening?” Anna responded, “You were shot in the shoulder and the surgeon needs to get the bullet out. I need to give you some whiskey for the pain. This will kill the pain and the surgeon will act quickly. Grip my hand and look at me. I am here my darling.” She then gave him some whiskey and he downed it! 

As the surgeon started the operation, Edmund screamed out in pain. Anna put her face along the side of his and was whispering in his ear as she held his head. Fortunately, the surgeon worked quickly and the bullet was removed. Edmund then passed out as Anna continued to rub his neck and the side of his face. She then looked to the surgeon who told her and the orderly that he was very optimistic about the surgery and there was not much bleeding. Anna then spoke with the orderly and the surgeon about follow up care while Ben began speaking with another Continental officer who had just entered the tent.

This officer told Ben that he finally found out the mission of the patrol. Although the Major said nothing, the British sergeant who was second in command of the patrol finally talked. The patrol was on a rescue mission for Major Andre. Ben nodded and then told the officer to keep this all under wraps. He was to tell no one.

Anna finished with the surgeon and the orderly. She demanded that the orderly stay close by. The surgeon said that he would not waste resources on the enemy, but Ben demanded that the orderly stay as the Major was “an important prisoner and needed to be kept alive.” Anna then smiled at Ben, which she had not done in a while. Ben then nodded to her as if to say that I am going to back you all of the way. 

The orderly then said that the Major needed to be cleaned up and needed clean clothing. Ben told him to attend to that and then ordered the soldiers out of the tent. The surgeon left and then the orderly left to find some clean clothing and some supplies.

Anna had quickly returned to sit beside Edmund. After the soldiers, the orderly, and the surgeon left, Anna said out loud, “Edmund you should be home in Scotland. Why did you stay behind and volunteer for such a dangerous mission?” She was now almost in tears as Edmund was now sleeping, but she could tell that he had a fever. She poured some water on one of the towels that the surgeon left behind and began wiping his face and neck. While wiping his face and neck to try to get the fever down, she then in a tearful voice said, “Don’t worry Edmund, I am here to take care of you. I am going to do everything in my power to get you better and then make sure you get home to Scotland.” 

Ben walked over (again thinking about his last moments with Sarah), and bent down and put his arm around Anna. He said, “Anna, I want you to know that I am here for you and that I will do everything in my power to make sure that he pulls through.” Anna then asked, “What is going to happen with him? He cannot die! And, you cannot even think about having him executed just because he knows the identity of Culper.” With that, Anna broke down crying and Ben just gave her a big hug telling her that she had his word that he would not harm Major Hewlett. 

Anna continued to sit next to Edmund trying to give him some water and continuing to wipe his head, neck, and chest to keep the fever down. Only when the orderly cleaned up Edmund and changed his clothes did Anna leave the tent. She knew that Edmund would be appalled if she stayed for that. Upon the orderly finishing his work, he left and Anna returned to a chair to sit next to Edmund. She held Edmund’s hand and even eventually had one of the guards bring a book from her tent so that she could read to him while he slept. 

Hours passed and eventually Ben came to the tent to check up on how Edmund was doing and to bring Anna some food. He knew that she would not leave Edmund’s side and so he did not even try to convince her to take a break. 

Ben walked into the tent while Anna was reading to Edmund. Ben said, “How is the patient doing?” Anna responded with a tired smile, “Edmund is hanging in there and the fever does not seem to be getting any higher. He is resting comfortably and I am able to get him to drink something every now and then. By the way, I used up most of your whiskey, and I was wondering if you could get me another bottle." Ben said, “Yes, I can although I hope that you had a swig or two to keep up your strength.”

Anna smiled and Ben continued. “I brought you some dinner as I know that you have not eaten anything most of the day. You need to keep up your strength.” Anna agreed and took the plate. She started eating realizing that she really was hungry. Ben then pulled up a stool and began talking. “Anna, I know that you have been through so much and at first I was upset that you almost married this man. But, as you know about my own experience with Sarah and now seeing you with him, I can only say that I am in your corner. I feel for what you are going through and I just want you to know that you do not need to go through this alone.”

Anna started crying and reached out to Ben. He then hugged her and held her telling her that everything was going to be okay. He then with a laugh said that she was getting chicken grease on him and that she should just continue eating. They both then started to laugh. Ben then told Anna that he was going to have to leave shortly but that he was going to leave instructions with his second in command to make sure that nothing happened to Hewlett. 

Anna then asked if his trip had something to do with Major Andre as she had overheard the officer telling him that they had caught him. Ben nodded and said yes. He then apologized for seemingly not taking Anna seriously in the ring. He told her, “I admire your tenacity and smarts more than you know. I am sorry though if it looks like I underestimate you. I just feel as if I still need to protect you even though you do not need protection. Oh, and by the way, I actually do have a mission for Caleb and you in the near future. You are going to pose as a married couple and travel to the outskirts of New York City to meet up with a contact. I will explain the details when Caleb returns and before I have to leave.”

Anna then turned to Edmund and asked Ben, “What will happen to Edmund if he survives.” Ben then put his arm around Anna again and said, “He is going to survive. And, I have actually thought about what to do with him. Normally, I could exchange him for one of our officers, but he knows too much.” Anna then turned to Ben with a frantic look on her face. Ben quickly hugged her again and with a reassuring voice, “No he is not going to be executed. Please stop as you know that I am a man of my word. I actually know of a farmer and his wife who live not too far from here and who had already volunteered to look after a prisoner until we exchanged that prisoner for one of our own officers. I believe that he and his wife will be happy to have Hewlett and a few guards stay with them. They are an older Quaker couple who I am sure will treat him with the utmost respect. He can stay there until the War is over, especially as things are looking up for us and the War may be over soon with the British retreating.” With Ben’s words and promises, Anna was feeling so much better! 

Twenty four hours passed and although Anna had not slept much, she was ever more resolved to not leave Edmund. Finally Edmund came to and it seemed that the fever had broken. He even woke up saying, “I am so thirsty.” Anna gave him some water and he gulped it down. She had to tell him to slow down. He laid back and began looking around trying to figure out where he was.

He then looked at Anna and said, “It is you Anna isn’t it?” Anna smiled and said, “Yes.” Edmund then said “Of course, I remember now. I was shot by your army and tortured. I can remember the pain.” He then tried to move but winced in incredible pain. Anna said, “Yes, Edmund, you are a prisoner, but you are under the protection of Colonel Tallmadge. The men are being disciplined regarding how they treated you, and no one is going to harm you.” Edmund turned away and in a small voice, “If you say so Mrs. Strong.”

Anna was taken off guard as the tone of the conversation greatly changed. As Edmund was becoming more alert and awake, he was becoming more formal, distant, and even antagonistic, especially in calling her Mrs. Strong. Anna was not going to let this affect her. “Edmund, I am here to take care of you and you can believe me. I remember how shameful the Continental Army treated you the first time and I am going to make sure that it does not happen again. Colonel Tallmadge as well is seeing to your safety.” Edmund continued to look away, but Anna could tell that he was looking very sad and upset. 

Edmund then said in a crying voice, “I do not know how much I can take of this? I just want to be home in Scotland with everything familiar around me. I want to be with my mother and family and put this War behind me.” He then began to sob and Anna tried to take his left hand (as it was his right shoulder that was hurt). He, however pulled it away and continued to cry. Anna had never seen Edmund break down like this. This time she just gently touched his right hand telling him that it was going to be okay. With this, Edmund did start to regain his composure although he was still upset and in tears. He also continued to look away and stare at the ceiling while he was trying to fight back the tears.

Finally, Anna poured Edmund some water and helped him drink it. With his shoulder still hurting, Anna then offered him some whiskey which he took. After giving him the whiskey, Anna with a smile said that he must be hungry and that she was going to get him some broth and bread. Edmund said nothing but Anna left to get him some broth and bread.

Anna returned very quickly and helped him with his food and drink. Edmund did not protest and instead began eating as well as taking some more drink. Anna was relieved regarding how well he looked, especially compared to a day ago when she first saw him. They said nothing to each other as Edmund ate and drank.

After Edmund was finished, Anna could not stand the quiet and began the conversation by asking whether he would like to dictate to her a letter to his mother to let her know that he was safe. Edmund replied, “Can I actually tell her Mrs. Strong that I am safe?” Anna did not get upset with Edmund’s attitude and was very resolved to make him feel more optimistic about his situation. She responded, “You are going to be taken care of, and in fact, I happen to know that you are going to a very good situation once you have healed.” 

Anna then in a gentle and concerned voice inquired, “I thought that you were headed home to Scotland. What made you take on this mission?” Edmund then smiled and said, “Mrs. Strong, a spy to the end. That is why you are sitting with me, you want information.” Anna now was losing her patience, and replied, “No, I do not care what your mission was. I just want to know what kept you from returning home. I know that you have such a profound sense of duty, and so I will just let this drop and assume that your sense of duty and honor were the reasons for taking on such a dangerous assignment.”

It then got quiet. Eventually, Anna started speaking again in a very thoughtful and reminiscent way. “This War has taken so much from both of us. I lost my home and inn, and I just found out that my husband is dead. As you said in Setauket, you have become more jaded and skeptical about the cause of the war as well as your fellow countrymen, and now you have lost your freedom. You have been separated from you home and your family, especially your mother. For me though, maybe the worst thing that I lost was……. well my chance of happiness. That night at the inn, you asked me if I ever loved you.” 

Anna then became misty eyed and was afraid that she was going to stumble with her words. But then she found her courage and said with very strong conviction, “I told you that I could not lie to you anymore and so I could not say no to your question. I was worried though that if I said yes, you would stay and risk your life. I had run out of ideas how to stay loyal to my side and how to keep you safe by being with you. Now I will answer that question. Yes, Edmund I loved you! Every day it is haunting me that I could have been your wife. The War brought us together and it tore us apart. I must be a jinx. I only bring pain to people around me. You know when I received the notice of my husband’s death, I found out that he was already dead on the day of our wedding. If only I had received that notice earlier. If only we left for Scotland. I am left with so many “if onlys” that I am haunted by them. But it does not change my feelings for you Edmund. It is my fault. I, however, do not want you to think that I was only using you for the spy ring. We were on different sides, and I could not bear it. That night at the inn, I knew that I wanted to be with you but it did not work out that way.”

Edmund now was teary-eyed as well and upon Anna finishing, he whispered, “How can I believe all of what you said?” Anna replied, “I cannot make you believe anything but I had to say what I said.” It fell silent again, but this time Edmund reached out his left hand and Anna took it. They just sat there in the quiet holding hands. 

Eventually Edmund fell into a very peaceful sleep. Anna was now having a hard time keeping her eyes open as she was up for almost 24 hours. She decided to take this time to get some sleep herself, and so she returned to her tent after finding the orderly to sit with Edmund. 

It was afternoon, and Caleb came into her tent looking for her. She was sound asleep and Caleb had to wake her up from this deep sleep. She at first thought that something was wrong with Edmund, and Caleb assured her that it was not. He then let her know that they had to leave for their mission to the City. They had to leave now or they were going to miss their contact. Anna wanted to check in with Edmund, but Caleb told her that they had to leave as soon as possible.

Anna did check in with Ben’s second in command, as Ben had already left in response to the Andre affair, to ensure that Major Hewlett would be taken care of. Caleb joined Anna. He knew Ben’s second in command, who was somewhat of a whimp. Caleb remained with the officer for a few extra minutes after Anna left the tent. When Caleb joined Anna, he let her know that he threatened the officer real physical harm if anything happened to the Major. He then put his arm around Anna and off they went on their mission. 

Five days passed and Anna and Caleb returned from a successful mission. During their journey, they had a long discussion about the War and their futures after the War. Of course, the conversation turned to Edmund. Caleb was so understanding of how Anna felt about him. He encouraged her to follow her heart. The War was not going to last forever, and she had to be with the person whom she knew would make her happy for the rest of her days. The “enemy” very soon would no longer be the enemy, and he did not want her to live with any regrets. Anna felt so energized and happy for the first time in a long time after this “heart to heart talk” with Caleb.

When they arrived in camp, they noticed that tents were being taken down and packing was going on. They found out that the army was moving and they had very little time themselves to get ready to move. Upon hearing this, Anna went directly to Edmund’s tent but ran into Ben’s second in command. He let her know that Edmund was moved to the farm and that he was recovering nicely. Anna wanted to go and see him, but she was told that there was no time as they were moving out. And, she was told that she could not be left behind.


	3. The Meeting at the Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months have passed and it is time that Edmund and Anna meet again.

Edmund was lying under a tree taking a short nap before dinner. Almost seven months had passed since he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Continental Army. After a few days of recovering from his wounded shoulder and while Anna was on her mission, Edmund was sent to a nearby farm with two Continental soldiers, a sergeant and a private, to guard and watch over him. A condition of this favorable posting was that he was not to try to escape. If he did, Colonel Tallmadge could not promise his protection.

As part of his posting on the farm, Edmund was required to work on the farm earning his room and board. Today, Edmund had been working all day and he was more tired than usual because he did not have much sleep the night before. He was up most of the night helping a mare who was in labor and was having a difficult time delivering her baby. Edmund was somewhat proud of himself as he helped in delivering a handsome and healthy colt.

As Edmund continued to lie under the tree, he savored this quiet time and the gentle cool breeze as it had been a fairly warm day. He, however, also began thinking about all that he experienced during the past seven months.

The Woodsons, the couple who took him in, were a very decent couple. They had two sons, who both unfortunately did not survive to adulthood. The Woodsons had one hired hand who lived in the village as the Woodsons lived less than a mile from the village. 

Mrs. Woodson was an excellent cook, and Edmund was eating very well. She also was a very gentle and generous woman, and in some ways, reminded Edmund of his mother. Edmund could not get over what a wise woman Mrs. Woodson was, and he enjoyed listening to her observations about life. His conversations with her though sometimes made him homesick as he still missed his mother.

Mr. Woodson was quiet and hard working. Edmund was very happy that Mr. Woodson took an interest in wine. Besides good and plentiful food, Edmund was not deprived of his wine. In the evenings, Edmund enjoyed the small library that Mr. Woodson had. Mr. Woodson was a student of the Enlightenment and so his small library contained a number of those works as well as some translated Greek classics. Of course, Edmund had read just about every work contained in Mr. Woodson's library, but he still enjoyed the opportunity to sit with a class of wine and a good book in the evening.

The Woodsons had a fortepiano and Edmund enjoyed playing it in the evening. Although Edmund was not an avid card player, he would join Mr. and Mrs. Woodson and the sergeant, or any visitor, in a game of cards. Edmund had to admit that even the two soldiers assigned to guard him were fairly likeable, and they treated him with respect.

Best of all, the schoolmaster who lived in the village had a passion for astronomy. He and his wife joined the Woodsons and Edmund for dinner the second week that Edmund was at the farm. At the dinner, the schoolmaster asked Edmund about some of his hobbies. When Edmund mentioned astronomy, the two became friends immediately. Edmund was allowed to travel into the village at night under guard to join the schoolmaster in stargazing. Of course, the schoolmaster’s telescope was not even close to the quality of the telescope that Edmund owned (He was still waiting to hear from his mother whether it arrived safely to his home in Scotland.) and that was given to him by William Herschel, but the schoolmaster’s telescope definitely served its purpose. 

Edmund was even enjoying his work on the farm. It was hard manual labor but he was enjoying it. Between the good food and the manual labor, Edmund was adding muscle mass to his upper body to the point that Mrs. Woodson had to order him new shirts as his old ones were too tight. The best part of the work though was his work with the horses.  
Mr. Woodson bred and raised horses. He ended up selling most of his horses to the Continental Army, but he still had a few on the farm and was still breeding them. Edmund was a natural around the horses, and Mr. Woodson did not mind if Edmund spent a lot of time with them. In fact, he allowed Edmund to ride and exercise them every day. Fortunately, the sergeant was a fairly good rider as Edmund was not allowed to ride alone. Edmund was even allowed to ride the horses a short distance from the farm, and Edmund really enjoyed the opportunity to ride every day.

Edmund’s favorite horse and the one that he would ride into the village to visit the schoolmaster or to attend church services was a large brown horse named Abernathy. Edmund really took to the horse and the horse took to him. Abernathy would even follow Edmund around the farm like a dog. Whenever Edmund approached the barn, Abernathy would get very excited to see him or hear his voice. They were best friends! Abernathy’s temperament reminded Edmund of his dear horse, Bucephalus. He still missed his dear old friend! 

With Edmund’s knowledge and love of horses, Mr. Woodson wanted Edmund to help with the birth of the colt that occurred last night. Edmund would not leave the side of the mare until the birth of the colt. Mr. Woodson even let Edmund name the colt, and Edmund settled on the name, Orion. He wanted to name him Bucephalus, but he could not bring himself to do so.

Of course, this fairly good life as a prisoner was due to Anna. Anna! At the inn, Edmund told Anna that he was going to quit her, but he could not get her out of his system. He still could not stop thinking about her! Everything seemed to remind him of her. At one point, Mrs. Woodson did get Edmund to talk about her, and Edmund found that he could only say good things about her. He, of course, could not tell Mrs. Woodson that she was a spy. He only told her that he found out that Anna was really on the side of the Continental Army.

Mrs. Woodson quickly figured out that Edmund was still as ever in love with her. She tried to help him by reminding him that his Anna really looked out for him and that the War would not last forever. She also offered additional advice that he should just live one day at a time. He should not become bitter and close his heart to love so that when he does meet the right woman, he will not miss his opportunity for happiness. She also further said that maybe the door has not closed for Anna and him to end up together!

Edmund could not stop dreaming about Anna, and for the most part, the dreams were wonderful! Just the other night, he dreamt that he was back in Scotland and that Anna was his wife. They had a nice home. They had three little boys, including twins, and three little girls. In the dream, they were picnicking on their property. They had dogs and horses, and the animals were running all over the property. The kids, all under the age of 10, were all playing together. Of course, they found the muddy area of the yard and started playing in the mud, tackling each other and throwing mud balls. Edmund’s mother was at this picnic, and she was appalled by all of the chaos. Meanwhile, Edmund and Anna were sitting with each other with Anna huddled against Edmund and Edmund’s arm around Anna. They were relaxing with a glass of wine and smiling and laughing with each other. Edmund’s mother kept telling Edmund to stop the children and to round up the animals, but Edmund said that everything was fine. Anna then kissed Edmund and told him to listen to his mother. With that, Edmund woke up.

Edmund spent a lot of time thinking about his relationship with Anna. He thought about his time with Anna while he was wounded remembering how she confessed her love for him. Although he still felt hurt that she used him, he was finally able to admit to himself that Anna only initially used him until she started to develop feelings for him. After all, she did all that she could do to save his life. She risked everything at the inn in order to tell him the truth, at least that she was a spy. And, she even was willing to marry him and relocate to Scotland. Edmund remembered their time at Whitehall together, especially after he returned from his captivity, and he had to admit that Anna was not that good of an actress in just pretending that she cared for him. Putting it all together, he no longer could doubt her confession of love for him.

Further, how could Edmund resent Anna from fulfilling her duty and from following her principles just as he followed his principles and did his duty? He ignored this fact initially because she was a woman and he did not see her as a soldier. After all, he was only doing his duty when he had her husband arrested and had her tavern taken away from her causing her to lose her status in the community and to make ends meet by working as a server in the tavern. Considering all of what Edmund did to Anna in the name of duty, Anna still was able to develop feelings for him. Anna also developed feelings for him even though she was a rebel spy. In fact, he admired and loved her especially because of her strength and courage and that she followed her principles and beliefs. So just as she seemed to forgive him for what he did to her, he could forgive, no not forgive as there was nothing to forgive, but understand what she did to him. What a woman? No matter how he tried, he still could not “quit her.” 

 

The next day, Edmund was in the barn taking care of the horses. He heard some horses approaching the house and assumed that those were the soldiers relieving his current guards. The sergeant and private were slated to head home, and they were being replaced by two new soldiers.

Edmund cleaned out Abernathy’s stall and then began grooming him. When he brushed Abernathy, he always talked to him. As he was brushing and talking to Abernathy, he felt that someone was watching him. As he turned around, he saw Anna standing at the doorway. As Edmund turned around, Anna took notice of how different Edmund looked, but he was even more handsome in her eyes. He looked much younger without his wig. She liked his somewhat wavy brown hair that was pulled back in the fashion of the day. His face had a nice bronze tan that complemented his soft brown eyes. His upper body also looked more muscular. And, he was so sweet and gentle in the way he talked to his horse.

Edmund was surprised to see Anna standing there, and the first thought that he had was that she looked as gorgeous as ever! Her dress was plain and her hair was a little messy, but she was beautiful! Edmund then with his usual stammer asked, “So…….so what brings you to the Woodsons?” Anna replied, “I came to check on how you were doing. I was hoping to come and visit much earlier, but I was delayed. I am so glad to see that it looks as if your shoulder has healed and that you are doing well. The Woodsons love you! They are so happy to have you here. They even told me how you and the schoolmaster find time to stare at the stars and that Mr. Woodson is even getting interested in astronomy.” 

Edmund continued to grin which made him look more adorable. He replied, “Yes, I have you to thank for this arrangement. It has been going well. How are you doing?” Anna softened a bit and then stammered, “I…. I am doing okay. I am surviving.” Edmund then said, “You are looking very well and you have not aged a bit.” Edmund then could have kicked himself for talking about her age. Anna just smiled a bit because she did not expect anything less.

It was quiet, and then Anna walked over to Abernathy and asked about him. Edmund lit up with a big smile as he talked about Abernathy. Abernathy even began to nuzzle Edmund as if to say yes, he is my good friend. Then Edmund asked Anna, “Would you like to give him his carrots and apple? That is the best way to become his friend.” Anna took the carrots and apple and fed Abernathy. They then stood fairly close together petting the horse and making small talk about the horse.

Then, Edmund asked Anna, “Would you like to see the two day old colt? I was up most of the night as we thought that we almost lost the little guy. Yet, he is a fighter and is now up and running around. I named him Orion.” Anna wanted to see the colt and so they walked over to the stall. Orion was nursing, but Anna could see that he was in fact a very handsome little colt. Anna commented how cute and small he was. She began to ask Edmund about the birth and, of course, Edmund went on with all of the details. And, just as Anna remembered, the more Edmund spoke about the mare, the birth, and the colt, the more excited he got. Although most people would have been bored with all of the details, Anna was treasuring how Edmund was telling the story.

As Anna was standing close to Edmund, Edmund asked Anna, “So where are you these days if I could ask?” Anna stated, “I am still living in the encampment, but it looks like the War will be over soon as the British are retreating, and so I will be moving on. And, you will be able to return to Scotland. Sorry, I did not mean to rub it in that the Continental Army is winning. I …. I …. just mean that the War will be over soon.”

Edmund then spoke up. “I want to thank you for watching over me and taking care of me when I was wounded. And, I know that you are responsible for this posting. You have done so much to look after my welfare, and I never had a chance to thank you. I have had some time to think and I have to admit that I may have been unfair to you. Yes, I was hurt. I was hurt so much and I tried to hate for that. But, I cannot hate you. You were only following your principles, a trait that I admired, admire, so much about you. And, I was blind to the fact that I got in the way of those principles. I should feel fortunate that you were able to….. care for me even though I was the enemy.” 

With that Edmund stopped. He was then mad at himself for not saying that he was fortunate that Anna was able to fall in love with him and that he believed her. Anna, however, did not give him a chance to correct himself as she quickly said in a very remorseful tone, “Oh, Edmund I made a mess of things. I do not know how you can forgive me?” With that, Edmund moved closer to Anna and said, “You did not make a mess of things. There is nothing to forgive. I know that you loved me.” He then seemed to be waiting for Anna to give him permission to kiss her, especially to confirm that Anna still in fact loved him. Anna moved very quickly with her response. She began to kiss Edmund and he responded. Anna pulled Edmund to her and he pushed her up against the barn wall as their kissing grew even more deeper and passionate, if not almost wild as if they were making up for lost time and were releasing all of their pent up fears and frustrations of being apart. They finally parted only because they were gasping for air and panting.

They were still very close and Edmund took Anna’s hands. As they caught their breath, they just stared into each others' eyes whispering to each other how much they loved each other. Then Edmund slowly moved again toward Anna’s lips, and they kissed again. This time though it was a slow sensual kiss in which their mouths and tongues were intertwined. Anna began slowly caressing Edmund’s neck and back while Edmund cupped Anna’s head with one hand and began caressing her back with his other hand. This kiss was a very long one and they were enjoying each other immensely. Edmund began to groan with such passion but then broke the kiss gasping again for air and whispering to Anna that if he did not stop now he would lose all control.

Anna thought, “Edmund my gentleman and protector!” Both Edmund and Anna were still trying to catch their breath. Anna then fell into Edmund’s arms and whispered, “Please Edmund, hold me and do not let me go!” Edmund responded, “I have you my darling and I am not going to let you go.” They stayed in each other arms just holding each other in the quiet. 

Finally Edmund led Anna to a bench in the barn. They sat down and Edmund put his arms around Anna. Then he asked, “Where do we go from here? I cannot let you go. But I also do not want to presume anything.” Anna retorted, “Edmund, when you asked me to marry you while we were in Setauket, I wanted to marry you. My feelings have not changed. So please presume!” With that Edmund got down on one knee holding Anna’s hands, and said, “Anna I cannot live without you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I cannot offer you much now, but I pledge to do my utmost and spend every waking hour making you happy and being your protector.” Edmund wanted to continue, but Anna could not contain herself anymore and said, “YES! Oh Edmund I want nothing else! I love you!” They then hugged each other and Anna said, “This time I am not going to mess this up.” Edmund just hugged her again and said kiddingly, “We should get married as soon as possible before anyone objects.” They then both laughed.

Edmund and Anna walked to the house arm and arm. They both could not let go of each other, but once they approached the house, they had to until Edmund could speak with Mr. Woodson to get his permission to add another person to the household. Mrs. Woodson overheard and was so happy to hear it! They celebrated their engagement at the dinner, much to the surprise of the Continental soldiers trying to figure out what had happened. 

After dinner, one of the soldiers volunteered as a wedding gift to ride back to the encampment to pack and bring back Anna’s items. The other soldier said that it might not be proper for the soldier to pack up Anna’s personal items. Anna just laughed and stated, “My items are already packed. You only need to pick them up and deliver them here.” She then realized what she had just said, and she had a pit in her stomach that this might be construed by Edmund that she was actually a schemer. Edmund at first looked surprised but then laughed saying, “You are always one step ahead of me. You are an astonishing woman! And, I certainly am not going to let you out of my sight!” 

That night they kissed each other goodnight as they parted from each other for the night. Before they parted, Edmund apologized to Anna that he could not even buy her a proper wedding dress or give her a proper wedding. Anna meanwhile said that she felt bad that she could not even dress up for her groom on their wedding day. Edmund took her by the hand and said, “Anna you are the most beautiful woman that I know. I know that you are going to look gorgeous on our wedding day. You do not need to dress up. I love you for who you are!” 

The next day, the minister came from the village and married Edmund and Anna at the farm. Both Edmund and Anna had to admit that they were a little nervous when the minister asked if anyone had any objections on why this couple should not be married, remembering what happened the last time. Their wedding night was one that they had waited for such a long time, and it was worth the wait! They were up most of the night “consummating their marriage” as well as talking about their future together.

 

The next morning, Anna awoke as the sun started to peak through the window. She still felt very sleepy as she did not sleep much the night before. Then she had a terrible thought: Was this all a dream? It seemed real, but was it really all just a dream? She looked over and saw an empty pillow next to her. She was horrified! Then, she noticed someone sitting by the window in a robe watching the sunrise. She was so relieved – it was not a dream as Edmund was up sitting by the window watching the sunrise. When he realized that Anna was waking up, he went over to her, pulled her close to him and gave her their first good morning kiss of their married life, the first of many to come.

Edmund held Anna very closely and told her to go back to sleep as he kissed her forehead. Anna held Edmund so tight. She finally for the first time in her life, feel so safe and secure, so peaceful and content, and so totally in love. For the first time, she felt that she finally knew what real love was. She did not feel as if she was just a servant to do the cooking or cleaning or to be the property of a husband. She was not just someone that a guy could turn to for physical comfort when his wife did not understand him. She did not have to spend her life "trying to please her man." 

Anna finally felt loved for being herself and she knew that she was loved unconditionally. She was the center of Edmund’s life and she was truly Edmund’s best friend and partner in life. She was his equal and would be treated so! As she started to fall back to sleep in the security and affection of Edmund’s arms, she was grateful for this second chance for true happiness! She knew that Edmund and she were going to live happily ever after!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to give Edmund and Anna a happy ending. They should be with each other as a happily married couple surrounded by their kids and horses.


End file.
